Chapter 41-1 Eye of the Storm

[Gooer]

He won't fix the pump in time, everyone at the colony will die. Racked with grief, Michael and co. will participate in a mass suicide and the show will end on a sombre theme.

Well. I'm.....just gunna..... (walks away from computer, head dropped, unsure what to do next) How very.........depressing. You should be a writer!

[tonyhind86]

Well. I'm.....just gunna..... (walks away from computer, head dropped, unsure what to do next) How very.........depressing. You should be a writer!

I'm also available for weddings and birthday parties

[Robzombie]

This might be sound tinfoily - but why did Jay not attack Datu? Did Jay identify Datu as a zombie? Does that mean that Datu might serve as some sort of zombified stealth individual? This would open the way for Datu to go where nobody who has not been bitten yet can go, would it not?

I posted this on the episode 3 thread but I'll throw it up here as it's being asked and may lead to some sort of possible answer...

Okay, this is my interpretation of the little ones attack at the windmill and how it played out.

Glen is immediately attacked and killed. Jay and Datu open fire possibly striking but not killing the little one. Next Jay is attacked but not killed. Datu gets a couple more shots off but is soon firing blanks. Datu is struck down by the little one, causing the scratches to the neck and face dropping his pistol as it skitters along the ground. The little one approaches Datu and picks him up but is attacked and killed by Jay and Datu is dropped back to the ground. Jay approaches Datu and we hear him scream as he’s bitten by Jay. Jay then runs off from Datu but not leaving the scene entirely. The beeping sound is from the windmill as some component on it is failing and giving off a beep, maybe the pump burning out. Next episode, Datu yells for Jay to kill him. But I think what made Jay not kill Datu, only biting to turn him, is what keeps him away despite Datu’s pleading. Datu then turns the Mata-gun on Jay, killing him.

I don't think the Mata-gun was used to kill the little one. It's pretty clear to me that I don't hear it fire, until Datu kills Jay. I think that Jay used a tool, which made a wound that looked similiar to that made by the Mata-gun.

(Jay may not have been fully turned thereby still having enough conscience remaining to attack the Little one and move away from Datu after only one bite. Maybe thats why Datu is turning as slowly as he is....or he was fully turned, he sounds like it, but still had some control, or there was some other function at play to just turn and not eat)

[Gooer]

Angel didn't die either............................. He was murdered!!!!!!!

Technically, yes. But, I consider it more a mercy kill. Yes, Scratch killed him because he wouldn't tell her where Pegs and the others went, but she also knew he was going to die. I don't know, maybe she would of killed him either if he wasn't on death's door....

[Gooer]

I'm not entirely convinced about the theory of "the weak strain of infection". Usually, with most zombie-based films, it wouldn't matter how much infection you get, you're still fucked. Not saying it's the same with We're Alive, as each story is unique, but the idea of it doesn't seem right; it doesn't make it as scary as it first was, with only minor scratches and bites don't infect, just major damage.

[LiamKerrington]

Technically, yes. But, I consider it more a mercy kill. Yes, Scratch killed him because he wouldn't tell her where Pegs and the others went, but she also knew he was going to die. I don't know, maybe she would of killed him either if he wasn't on death's door....

Well ... Angel would have died anyway. That's true. But Scratch shooting him ... Well, the way she did it, had little to do with Mercy. That was just cold blood, 'cause he successfully withstood her interrogation ...

[LiamKerrington]

I'm not entirely convinced about the theory of "the weak strain of infection". Usually, with most zombie-based films, it wouldn't matter how much infection you get, you're still fucked. Not saying it's the same with We're Alive, as each story is unique, but the idea of it doesn't seem right; it doesn't make it as scary as it first was, with only minor scratches and bites don't infect, just major damage.

About the seriousness of the infection I agree with you 100%. No matter how much or how hard someone is hit, he is infected. So the important part of the story would be: what specific traits or qualities does someone need to have in order to be a slow-turner or a near-immune turner like Saul and Tanya are? Is it a specific factor within your blood, or a certain immune-reaction-complex, or maybe something else?

[Gooer]

Well ... Angel would have died anyway. That's true. But Scratch shooting him ... Well, the way she did it, had little to do with Mercy. That was just cold blood, 'cause he successfully withstood her interrogation ...

Yea, i guess. The way in which we hear it, makes it sound more brutal than it should of been

[UndeadSweeper]

About the seriousness of the infection I agree with you 100%. No matter how much or how hard someone is hit, he is infected. So the important part of the story would be: what specific traits or qualities does someone need to have in order to be a slow-turner or a near-immune turner like Saul and Tanya are? Is it a specific factor within your blood, or a certain immune-reaction-complex, or maybe something else?

I was saying earlier if it could be something with skin pigment or color. It seems that that Saul, Tanya and Datu all have that in common. Could it be Melanin? Do melanin and Keratin 18 have any connection?

[scbubba]

Wow. Just.... wow. What an episode.

People have covered a lot of ground for the episode in these 20 pages and some really good stuff too.

I'm left with a few things:

1) Datu and turning - obviously it's slower than we have seen others. It's been hours, I believe, since the bite and Datu is at stage 1 levels with no obvious external signs. That's slower than a lot we have seen but not so slow as to say he will just stop a la Tanya/Saul. The waiting is the hardest part. But, like Grog has said, if there ain't no dead body there ain't nobody dead.....

2) Little One #9 and Jay - #9 obviously killed Glen. I assume he turned Jay too. I couldn't make out another zombie in the scene at the end of 40 but I'm not sure. So, who used the mata-gun on #9? Jay or Datu? Who bit Datu? Was it Jay? Hmmm. Anyway, I get the feeling that Jay knows that Datu is infected and that's why he doesn't move in for the kill. But does Jay know Datu is infected because of some bio-chemical change zombies can detect? Or is it the observation that "I just saw that guy get bit so he'll be one of us soon"?

3) K18 - Tanya's theory of infection raising K18 levels is proven again. Now CJ and others have wind of it. What happens next....

Well, seeing the chapter artwork, I'm pulled back to the water works. I'm wondering if we don't get a recount of the story from Michael (and finally hear the broken arm story) and after it's over, someone (CJ) points out that Michael was probably exposed and might be a slow turner. That sparks the idea that Tanya's test be used on a bunch of people - Michael first. Then we find that Michael's K18 levels are elevated too.... Dun dunn dunnnn!

Whatever happens, I was definitely gutted when I heard that Datu basically has a death sentence and then the digging graves things was a punch to the groin after that. I think Kc picked the right character to have this kind of moment in the story, regardless of the live/die/turn outcome.

Damn fine episode and I can't wait for the next one (as always but maybe more so for this one!)